There isn’t a lot this month to be honest. Still it makes a change from previous entries and yep. It’s all Lush stuff again. 😛
Grass Shower Gel – In my opinion the best shower gel Lush sell all year round and in store. It’s became somewhat of an essential product for mornings and the dark and cold winter months. It reminds me of summer, of sun warmed skin and of chilling with my pals in a beer garden/music festival. It smells just like cut grass and I hope it never get’s retired. I’ll be buying a new bottle as soon as I’ve used up some of my other shower gels/jellies. £16.75
Twilight Shower Gel – Smells exactly the same as the bath bomb and is just beautiful. Also if the glitter in the ballistic puts you off (I’m not much of a glitter fan either) this doubles as a bubble bath too. It was a limited edition product last Christmas and I have a litre of the stuff left. I hope another opportunity to buy it comes along at some point in the future.
Calacas Shower Jelly – I love love love the smell of this (actually as a general rule if it has Lime in it then I’ll like it). I also love the fact that it’s neon green and shaped like a sugar skull. I have one more pot of this in my freezer. I’m scared to use it hah.
Happy Happy Joy Joy Hair Perfume – A lovely light hair conditioner with a main (mane – grrrooaaannn) purpose of fragrancing your barnet. If you like the smell of Orange Blossom perfume then I guarantee that you’ll love the smell of this. It’s vegan friendly too which is never a bad thing. I do like HHJJ and it does make my hair smell amazing but to be honest the price does put me off from rebuying it and so in future I’ll probably just stick with Veganese as it’s like half the price. £30.25
Dirty Body Spray – A definite top 10 Lush product for me. I love this stuff. I spray it about with wanton abandon. The spearmint in it cools you down and it’s basically Febreeze for humans. It’s normally the first thing I pack for music festivals and any other occasions where I may be without shower/bath facilities for a few days. At last year’s Bloodstock festival I was camped with a load of lads. They were all borrowing this by the Saturday. I’ve already bought a new bottle too. £14.00
Veganese Hair Conditioner – I first tried this about a year ago when my hair was becoming healthier after starting to look after it through using henna and getting regular trims instead of bleaching it to high heaven and dying it every colour under the sun. Other conditioners were becoming too heavy so I switched to this and have never gone back. A big bottle lasts me about 4-5 months which is awesome value for money. This is another top ten Lush product as far as I’m concerned and I have bought another bottle already. £13.15
M.A.C. Mineralize Satin Finish SPF 15 Foundation – I’ve gone from being a die hard M.A.C. fan to these days not really giving two shits about them. It’s pretty sad that the main reasons I spent so much money on M.A.C. in the first place, along with the quality of the products (which I’m sure is still awesome) are no longer the case. I’m still using up what M.A.C. make up I have but I haven’t bought any in a long long time and I can’t see this changing anytime soon. This foundation was pretty nice to use. Good value for money, despite it’s £24 price tag as it lasted me about 2 years. I used it on it’s own as well as mixed with moisturiser and I would have bought it again but I’ve since switched to E.L.F. and this.
Avon Purifying Pore Strips – I’m not gonna lie. I’ve had these for years. I’d hate to hazard a guess but if I had to I’d say they were at least 8 years old. They were individually wrapped however so I wasn’t so bothered with regards to hygiene so I recently used them up. They were pretty good to use after a good face mask and I may be tempted to buy something similar in the future but I think that’ll be only on a whim. I don’t even think Avon sell these anymore they’re that old. I know some people who use PVA glue to do the same thing on their face but I don’t think I’ll go down that route if I’m honest.
Cosmetic Warrior – Sometimes my skin just can’t decide on what it’s doing. Some days it feels tight and dry, other days it’s spotty, either way this mask is awesome. The ingredients include garlic and honey which are anti-bacterial and the honey along with the eggs are really moisturising. Truly a life saver of a mask £5.95
Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner – This stuff can be used in so many ways. I use it as a shaving lotion when doing my legs, as a body lotion, and also as a body conditioner too. In the past I’ve used it as a hair mask It’s super rich and therefore super hydrating so is perfect for older/dry skin. It smells the same as the Rose Jam bubbleroon and therefore amazing. £15.50
Ultrabland Cleanser – Hands down the best ever commercial make up remover I’ve ever used. I can’t see me using anything else EVER and I really don’t know how I managed beforehand and this is from the same girl who used to buy this by the gallon (well maybe…). I tend to wear a lot of eye make up and this baby removes it all, without making my skin feel tight afterwards. I used to do something called the Oil Cleansing Method years ago and I noticed a lot of similarities when I first started using Ultrabland in terms of ingredients (oil) and how you use it (identical), nowadays it just means a lot less faffing on with oil ratios etc. if I can buy something ready made. Buying Ultrabland works out cheaper than buying all of the oils separately for the OCM and it’s also cheaper than the Clinique make up remover I used to buy too. Double whammy. As usual with all of my favourite products I already have bought a replacement. £10.75
It’s no secret that I work for Lush and as a result probably about 90% of toiletries that I review in this and future posts will show nothing but empty black pots. I also own a shit load of toiletries so I’m on a self imposed ban from buying any in future unless it’s an absolute essential so we’ll see how it goes.
Angels On Bear Skin by Lush – This to me is the best cleanser I’ve ever had the good fortune to use. I have explored other avenues in the past only to find my skin will break out or whatever so I’ll go back to this and within a week or so my skin will be back to “normal” therefore I’m now of the opinion of “if it aint broke then don’t fix it”. My skin reacts really well to lavender plus this doubles as a gentle exfoliator. I’ve already bought a new pot as like I say, I’m sticking with this for life now. £6.25
Atomic Toothy Tabs by Lush – Atomic must be one of the better tasting toothy tabs that Lush make as far as I’m concerned and I’ve tried them all. Others that I find pleasant are Ultrablast, Chou Chou I Love You and Sparkle. I love taking these to Music Festivals/holidays purely because they really do a good job of cleaning your teeth, especially after drinking too much alcohol and smoking too many cigarettes. You know when you go to the dentist for a scale and polish and afterwards you can’t help but lick your teeth because they feel so clean? That’s what these make your mouth feel like after using them for a few days. Some people like to use half a tablet, others two. I’m a one tablet per use girl however. The only negative I have is that I miss the crisp minty freshness that normal toothpaste provides and the confidence of not having a stinky breath that goes with it. Saying that I don’t use Toothy Tabs all of the time, maybe every few days or so as advised by my dental hygienist. I do think that I’ll continue to use these on occasion but I’m pretty happy with my normal toothpaste tbh. £2.50
Dirty Spritzer by Lush – It would seem I didn’t get the memo that decided that this Gorilla Perfume was for the boys. Do I care? Nope. I love Dirty and I douse myself in it at every available opportunity. Dirty is probably my signature “day time” scent and as well as the perfume I’m also an avid user of the body spray and shower gel too. I don’t normally buy the spritzers in honesty, I just go straight for the Atomisers as I find that they last longer. I also like to carry the solid perfume around with me to top up during the day and apply to my hair if needed. £9.50
Enchanted Eye Cream by Lush – This lasts for ages, like best part of a year or so and although it is expensive I find it is worth it. I use this whenever I remember but mostly on an evening. It’s super light so perfect for the delicate skin around your eyes and I’ve found that one squirt is more than enough to do both eyes. Any excess I just rub in anywhere else like my forehead, mouth or neck area. I will buy again purely because I’m 34 and well prevention is better than a cure innit? £11.50
Hair Doctor by Lush – Is a scalp mask and is perfect for those who suffer from problem scalps. Luckily for me I don’t but I still enjoy the sensation of this due to the peppermint and it makes my hair feel really nice and soft afterwards. I used to use this religiously whenever I used to bleach my roots as it really soothed my scalp after bleaching but I don’t feel the need for it as much these days. I’m personally a fan of shoving a whole pot on my head and using it all in one go. It’s a fresh product so it has a short shelf life and needs to be kept in the fridge due to it’s lack of preservatives. Not something I would normally buy these days but it was given to me and well waste not want not. £6.75
Love Lettuce by Lush – Another fresh Lush product that you need to keep in the fridge. Each fresh face mask lasts about three weeks and I normally get about 6 applications from each pot so applying twice a week is ideal to make sure you get value for your money. Love Lettuce is one of my favourite face masks due to the Lavender and also the ground almond shells which really exfoliates and brightens my skin. £5.95
Pied De Pepper Foot Cream by Lush – I only have about half a pot of this stuff left now. It was discontinued about 18 months ago and I miss it loads. Nothing else comes close for me. Pied De Pepper was very spicy and as a result warming so if you suffered from bad circulation in your tootsies or if your feet were just cold then a quick rub with this stuff soon changed that. In winter I’d also use it on my hands to warm them up too. Not a clue as to why Lush discontinued this but I do wish they’d bring it back.
Skinny Dip by Lush – I bought this on a whim last year when it was released as a limited edition retro item. I liked it that much I bought another pot shortly after. It seems to make my skin feel really soft and I found it awesome to shave my legs with. I have one tub left.
Superdrug Setting Lotion Extra Firm 150ml – I bought this for when I needed to pin curl my hair not that long ago and I have one more bottle of this left. Cheap as chips and did the job no problems. I may try the normal hold next time but overall for the price I’m more than impressed. A must for anyone who’s hair is poker straight and drops at first opportunity. It’s not tested on animals and suitable for vegans and on top of that it’s currently 2 for £2 otherwise it’s £1.49 a bottle. BOOM.
Other beauty products that I’ve used up this month which had no packaging (better for the environment innit) but still deserve a mention:
Bubblebeard Reusable Bubble Bar by Lush – I was given this last Christmas and although personally I’m not a huge bubble wand fan this one smells like Dirty and as a bath cocktail ingredient it’s proved quite versatile. I did enjoy it but I’m not sure if I’d re-buy it if it comes out again next Christmas.
Ceridwen’s Cauldron by Lush – Easily my favourite bath melt by Lush. Every time my skin is playing up or feels rougher than a badgers arse I fling one in the tub and after a rub all over with King of Skin Im as smooth as a baby’s bum. Will be using these until the cows come home, despite the price but I’m happy to pay it as I find it really soothing. £3.99
Full Of Grace by Lush – I love this little bar of wonder. I like to use it underneath a face mask for extra moisture and also is really nice on an evening either on it’s own or underneath your night time moisturiser if your skin is feeling dry. One of these bars will last me months so in my opinion is definitely worth the price. I keep mine in a shampoo bar tin (also from Lush) to keep it nice and clean. I’ve since bought another one. £7.95
Keep It Fluffy Ballistic by Lush – A rare item in my stash. Originally from my Jon Burgerman tin, who’s contents I keep forgetting about. I loved this fragrance when B Never Too Busy To Be Beautiful was about. I really wish I could get my hands on one last bottle. Despite me loving other BNTBTBB fragrances now such as Dirty and Cocktail I never tried them at the time which is a bit of a regret as I love the old bottles.
King Of Skin by Lush – Where would I be without this beautiful beautiful body butter. I’m that obsessed currently with KOS that I currently have 3 of these on the go. One at home, one at my boyfriends and one in my gym bag. I’m shit at remembering to use body lotion and if it wasn’t for this my skin would be positively reptillian. Soon as you’re rinsed and about to get out of the bath/shower, just rub this all over you and then throw your towel on. No need to rub in or rub off, just leave it be. I would probably say that this is one of my top 10 Lush products. £5.25
Magic Mushroom by Lush – I’ve had this in my stash since the first time it came out which was Valentine’s Day last year. Shocking I know but I’ve always been loath to use rare items until now. My top tip is to take the white stalk from this and crumble it in my washing machine which results in creamy strawberry milkshake scented laundry. The red bit you can just use in the bath. It would have been nice if these were in store again this year, especially since there were no new bath related Valentines Day products but maybe next year. They’re still available online as part of the Retro range. £3.50
Twilight Bath Ballistic by Lush – I love the smell of this but if there’s one thing I hate… It’s glitter. Especially when it get’s stuck to my skin in the bath. I don’t suffer that badly from eczema but I do feel like clawing my skin off after a while. Lush however have changed the glitter in a lot of their products as of late so once that change has hit these bad boys I’ll probably give em another whirl. Until then I still have a load of the shower gel left from Christmas. £3.20
Well after 4 hours I’ve washed the henna out and MY GOD!!!! It’s gone somewhat lighter than what it was beforehand which I didn’t think it would do but I’m not complaining. It feels amazing, it looks so shiny and I can run my fingers through it no problems. It’s gone pretty much Jessica Rabbit / Daphnie from Scooby Doo ginger so all in all a success. It was a bit of a pain to wash out however but I just used a load of shampoo and then conditioned it as normal and the remaining bits of henna just disappeared from my head down the plughole. I bought two blocks just in case but I think I’m going to leave it a few days and see what the final colour develops as and if need be I’ll re-do it again for a longer time period later on in the week. My hair feels thankful. 😛
I’ve finally had enough of bleaching my hair and abusing it by dying it weird colours. It was nice while it lasted but it’s time for a well earned rest for these follicles.
I’ve been debating using the Henna we sell at Lush on my hair for what seems like aeons and over the last few weeks I’ve been washing my hair at every available opportunity in attempts to wash as much of the blue hair dye out as possible. It was looking really dire and after seeking advice from a hairdresser friend she suggested doing a bleach bath to try and lift some of the dye from my hair. I did this and it went a fantastic Lady Gaga esq minty green.
It was fun for about a day but I couldn’t hack leaving it like that and so yesterday I popped a commercial auburn/red dye over it which essentially will act as the “undercoat” for the Caca Rouge which is currently weighing my head down as we speak. I’m leaving it on until about 21:00 (it’ll have been on for 4 hours then) and fingers crossed my hair will be amazing. 😛
If I end up with hair the same colour as Jessica Rabbit I’ll be ecstatic. Fingers Crossed. ;P
I was somewhat naughty over the weekend. Naughty but day-um I smell good. The Yuzu and Cocoa seems to be my favourite so far. Ghost shower gel smells a lot like 9-5 cleanser too.
Last week I finally made the time to go to the hairdressers for a well needed cut. The monthly bleaching ordeals in order to get my hair bright pink has taken it out of my locks big time so I needed loads chopping off. Thankfully it feels so much better now. I’ve been deliberating over a fringe for a while so went for the plunge whilst there and I’m rather pleased I went for it. I keep looking in the mirror and getting a shock whenever I see it but it’s all good. My hairdresser is Jonathan Pickup and his salon is on Grange Terrace.
At the beginning of May I went on a week long adventure which saw me in Leeds, London, Glasgow and of course my hometown of Sunderland.
The trip to Leeds was purely for Deathfest which was a rather enjoyable day out. Discovered a band there called Volition who I rather dig and also got to see Negura Bunget” post Sol andHupogrammos”. Negura Bunget are still excellent, still atmospheric but there is a certain magic lacking since their departure. The new Negura Bunget album came out the other month and I’m patiently waiting for this limited edition box set to arrive from Transylvania. I’m a sucker for fancy packaging.
I went to London for a few days to essentially catch up with some friends and to finally see Hole, who I’ve been a huge fan of since I was about 15 years old. Lots of good food (I love Bodeans), lots of singing and lots of shiny new hair courtesy of Angel Emma (I got some camouflage coloured extensions put in amongst my normal hair). As you can see from the photo’s I’m not a veggie any more either. I may explain why in a later post.
L to R: Me having a snout on Emma’s patio, The warning sign in the Crobar and Gumbo inBodean’s, Soho.
L to R: Pulled & Burnt End Pork at Bodeans (Needless to say I couldn’t move afterwards and I didn’t finish it all – boooooo), Ms Courtney Love @ Brixton Academy and my first ever Krispy Kreme doughnut.
Later on in the same week I went up to Glasgow to see KISS with a friend and was blown away. Best gig of my life hahahahahha. Paul Stanley is the man. Check out the goofy video too (I never said I could sing either).
